A4O-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, December 13, 2003
Farming On The Edge
(Continued from Page A 24)
1996. The farm value rises only
slightly over those 26 years, while
the marketing share shoots to the
heavens like a steep ski slope.
Both graphics serve as con
stant reminders of what's wrong
with this picture and what
farmers can do about it.
What can farmers do? Simple.
Start capturing a much larger
share ot the food dollar.
How? The answer is two sim
ple words: Direct marketing.
The more farmers sell directly
to consumers, the more money is
going to go into producer’s pock
ets where, 1 believe most of us
would agree, it rightfully belongs.
That's easier said than done, 1
know. But it can and is
being done on more and more
farms throughout the region and
the country. A few of the more
obvious wavs include:
• Farmers' markets, especially
producer-only farmers’ markets.
• Roadside stands.
• Buying clubs, whether you
call it Community Supported Ag
riculture (CSA), a subscription
service, or a “members only” on
farm market.
Many efforts are also under
way to supply school districts,
colleges, hospitals, restaurants,
government, and even corporate
cafeterias with fresh, local farm
products. (More about that in the
next column.)
Farmers in Pennsylvania. Mar
yland, Virginia, New York, and
New Jersey live within just a few
hours driving time of more than
25 million people in some of the
biggest cities and richest markets
in the entire world.
2004 Pa. Holstein Convention
STATE COLLEGE (Centre Co.)
The Pennsylvania Holstein Asso
ciation’s annual convention is
scheduled for Feb. 19-21 at the
Four Points Sheraton, Greensburg.
Holstein breeders from southwest
Pennsylvania are planning this
convention for the statewide mem
bership of Pennsylvania Holstein
breeders.
The convention’s theme “We
have what you are looking for in
2004” is to bring Holstein enthusi
asts from across the state together
to share their experiences and
ideas, and to enjoy themselves.
In addition to the adult conven
tion, the junior convention will
take place at the Four
Points Sheraton from
Feb. 6-8. County Dairy
Bowl teams will com
pete for the honor to
represent Pennsylvania
at the National Junior
Holstein Dairy Bowl
Contest. Distinguished
Junior Member and
Holstein Scholarship re
cipients will be named.
The seventh public
speaking contest will
also be conducted.
There will be work
shops and activities for
the approximately 400
youth that attend. This
convention encourages
and provides opportu
nity for our youth.
Convention sponsor
ship categories have
been assigned as fol
lows
• Partner
than $ 1,000
more
• Sponsor
$4OO-$999
• Contributor
$lOO-$399
Up to
• Friend
$99
Commercial exhibi
tor space is available at
the following rates:
• $225 Adult and
Junior Conventions
Looking at the bigger picture,
Pennsylvania farmers are within
just one day’s drive of half the
population of the U.S. and about
60 percent of the population of
Canada, Pennsylvania Secretary
of Agriculture Dennis Wolff said
at the sth Annual Future of Our
Food and Farms Summit last
week in Wilmington, Del.
Wolff said that his family's
dairy farm has been actively en
gaged in direct marketing for 30
years. The challenge facing farm
ers today, he stressed, is “getting
more of the consumers’ dollar."
How can we do that? For start
ers, by changing what we pro
duce. how we produce it, and
when we produce it, not just how
we sell it. More and more con
sumers want locally grown often
organic fruit, vegetables, meat
and dairv products, as fresh from
the farm as they can possibly get
them, throughout as much of the
year as is possible. They are will
ing to pay, and pay well, for what
they want.
Consider vegetable consump
tion in the U.S. It has increased
about 20 percent since the 19705,
yet vegetable imports are up
about 180 percent. “U.S. agricul
tural imports in 2002 totaled $4l
billion, up 5 percent from the
previous year,” reports USDA.
Farmers can capture more of
the food dollar there simply by
diversifying growing more of
what Americans eat today ex
tending our growing season with
high tunnels and planting differ
ent varieties.
Pennsylvania leads the nation
in preserving farmland. The next
step, Wolff told the gathering in
Wilmington, is figuring out how
• $175
ONLY
• $lOO
ONLY
If you have a commercial exhibit
and also make a monetary dona
tion, the combined amount of
money will be used to determine
your sponsorship category.
Please make your checks pay
able to “2004 PA Holstein Conven
tion’’ and mail before Jan. 20 to
2004 PA Holstein Convention, c/o
Bailey Herring, 433 Gibbon Glade
Road, Farmington, PA 15437.
FIBERGLASS FARM GATES
David S. King
Manufacturer of
Church Bench
folding hinges.
873 S. Railroad St
Myerstown, PA 17067
717-866-6556
Contact Dealer Near You.
Paul B Zimmerman Inc , so WoiKinimer Rd I phut i pa
Holtwood Supply. IOUi kDr Mplhvwl PA
AB Martin Roofing, mo situ Hci tpinata ia
Zimmerman Farm Service, Bethel pa
D & J Farm Store, Hes Rd Quairy\.:llf [A
Huber's Animal Health, My i,town pa
Umbergers of Fontana, in . Aiumiip pa
Rovendale Ag, Watwntomi pa
Valley Road Hardware, rtinsiiana 1; a
Terre Hill Farm Supply, uott union unw lid tim iiiii ia
Cedar Grove Farm Store ivoHnintr Hn» Muppensburg pa
Gideon K King, [idm Rond Km pit, pa
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iQurp
Distribution of food expenditures
/hi ,/inf *-1 \i; '
FBiMfon
dol i's
600
600
40n
JOi
*'}(<
100
70 72 74 76 78 80 82 84 86 88 90 92 94 96
Data Iff ‘ooda ot L & ia’m origin u oy cr t'- r rvnsun urn to 1 co* sumption i nth at ru "v and #v.
Irom home
to preserve farmers by making
farming more profitable.
Putting more of the food dollar
in producers’ pockets is a perfect
place to start.
Editor’s note: With his wife,
Pennsylvania Farm Bureau mem
ber George DeVault raises certi-
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